Cable guiding device



B. A. E. RosENQu'lsT 1,973,446-

(mami: GUIDING DEVICE I Sept. 1l, 1934.

FiledJax'z. 23,- 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I lmeno." i

Patented Sept.Y 1l, 1934 UNITED STA 1,978,446 CABLE comme nsvrs nm- A.a. moet, nume, n. Application January 2.3, 1934, Serial No.' 707,0 4claim. (cnn-15s) v 'I'his invention relates to a cable guiding devicefor hoisting drums, and particularly to those suchas are commonly usedon electric overhead cranes, although not limited thereto.

In the use of electric overhead cranes, one or more power drivencylindrical drums are employed to wind a cable, or cables, which areusually of steel, upon their outer surfaces in order to obtain therequired hoisting effect.' Ordinarily, the surface of the drum,l ordrums, isA grooved so that the hoisting cables will wrap themselvesthereon in a helical course. Under most circumstances a side-pull occursas the object being lifted is'not directly beneath the point of tangencyof the cable on the drum, `and the cable will therefore become taut atan angle with respect to the vertical. If the line of side-pull isnormal to the axis of the drum, no diiiiculty occurs. However, if theside-pull is parallel tu the axis of the drum or has a parallelresultant, there is a tendency for the cable to leave the proper grooveand wrap itself irregularly upon the drum. V

It also frequently happens that slack occurs in the cable when the loadis released, and it springs out of the proper groove into an incorrectposition either to the 'right or left. Such occur- -rences sometimescause the cable to be wrapped in ,two or more layers at one position sothat, due to the thickness of the mass, it binds against adjacent craneparts, and the rope is damaged.

It is not unusual that such overlaps of the cable are impossibleto'unwind without' great diiiiculty and the operation of the crane istem-1 porarily interrupted.

One object of thepresent invention is to provide a novel-.cable guidingdevice for hoisting drums which will function to guide the cableinto orout of the active groove of the drum at a true tangent with respect tothe axis thereof. -That is to say, the cable will be fed into or out ofthe groove Whichis receiving, or paying-a, at a ninety degree 'anglewith respect tothe axis of the drum, 'allowance being made, of course,for the variance resulting fromv the. helix of the groove.

Another object is to provide a novel apparatus of the class describedwhich will properly direct the cable into and out of the active" grooveand wi1l,. in addition, resiliently maintain the same therein at aposition adjasentits tangent.

Still another object is to provide an apparatus of the class describedlwhich can be cheaplyand easily installed on existing crane equipment,and one which will be entirely automatic in operation and require littleif any attention.

These and further objects of the invention will bev apparent afterreferring to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is aplanshowing part of the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 2 isl an elevation disclosing the entire apparatus inV operation.

Figure 3 is a sectional end view on the line III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on theline IV--IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectionalview on the line V--V- o: Figure 4.

.Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates acrane trolley which carries a shaft B 'on which there is mounted ahoisting drum C driven through a large gear .D which-is likewise securedto the shaft B.

The drum C has attached thereto a cablev F having on its other end agrab bucket G for scooping quantities oi' piled material. As long as thecable F is directly beneath the point of `tangcncy of the cable on thedrum, the eiliciency of the hoisting drum is unimpaired. However, whenthe cable F occupies the position Figure .2, 'the difficultiespreviously recited are experienced.

According to the teaching of the present invention, the hoisting drum C,having the usual helical grooves 2, is( provided `with la framecomprising a-plurality of segments, asat 4, 5 and 6 and which, whentaken togethcncompletely encircle the periphery of the drum. One end ofthe segment 4 is provided with a flange '7, as is one end of the segment6 provided with, ailange 8, while both ends of the segment 5 areflanged, as at 9. The adjoining ends of the segments 4 and 6 are unitedin a hinge-joint 10, which is in the form of a hubprovided with acentral apergture 12. A hub 14 is integrally united to the segment 5 andprovided with a central aperture 15. A pair of shafts'l and 17 aresuitably connected to the crane trolley A in close proximity to theshaft B and on opposite sides thereof, in such manner as to extendthrough the hubs 10 and 14, respectively.

A plurality of shoes 18 are each provided with a series of ribslil-conforming substantially to.

the contour of the helical grooves 2 onv the shown in dotted lines andindicated at X iny drum C, and "two of the same carry a flange 20extending-at right angles with respect to the axis of the ribs 19. Oneof the shoes 18 is disposed with its vilange 20 between the Bange l of4the segment 4 and one ofthe ilanges 9 of, the shoesl'a,- while the otherof the shoes 18 is disposed with its flange 20 between the -ilange 8 ofthe segment 6 and the4 other flange 9 of the segment 5. The ilanges`20ofthe shoes 18 lare held between 'the flanges oi' the various segmentsby means of bolts 21 and nuts 22, and

permits their ribsl 19 extending into the grooves 2 of the hoisting drumC.v

The hinge-joint 1 0, formed by segments land 6p provides a recess 24 forreceiving a flange 25"v on another of the shoes '18 and which extends inthe same directionas the axis of -the ribs "19. This shoe is suitablysupported by having its flange 25 apertured at 26 in such manner as toposed of a split and renewable hard-bronze ca sting vwhich is sopositioned as to have its aperture receive a tangent of the hoistingdrum C.'

-allowance being made, of course, for the slight variance resulting fromthe helical grooving of the drum. f

A pair of flanges 34 are integrally formed with the segment 4 and madevto extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the drum. A pair ofears are likewise integrally formed with the segment 4 and provided witha pivot pin 36 to which one end of a' shaft 37 is connected and made tooccupy a position between the flanges 34. The othery end of the shaft 37is rounded,

as at 38,' and provided with a threaded extremity 39. A grooved pulley40 is journaled on the rounded portion 38 of the s ha'ft 37 andmaintained in position by means of a nut 41' and f' stood that Ido notwish to be limited-exactly washer 42. i The segment 4 has an aperture43, and a sim- ."ilar aperture 44 is provided in the shaft 37- and inalinement therewith. A headed bolt 45 is made to extend through theaperture 43 in the segment 4 andthe aperture 44 in the shaft 37, and-provided with a threaded end 46. A

,spring 48 is positioned over -the threaded end 4.6

of the bolt 45 and between washers 47, a nut 49 being providedfor'establishing a resilient and `adjustable iniiuence on the shaft 37on which the grooved pulley 40 is mounted.

In installation, the segments 4, 5 and 6 carrying the shoes "18 areassembled with the ribs of. the latter occupying a number ofthe helicalgrooves 2 in the drum C. The cable F on the drum is threaded under fthe'pulley 40 and Athrough theaperturefof theguiding bell 30.

the winding operation is commenced', the cable will travel through thebell 30 and onto the helical grooves 2 of thedruxn at an exact tangent,and will be made to stay in said groove by means of the groovedpu11ey'40 which is resiliently maintained in contact therwithbymeans ofthe adjusting nut 49 through 'the tension spring48. It will thus be seenthat due tothe positioning of the ribs19, of the shoes 1 8, in

the grooves 2 vof the drum, the. frame composed.-I

of the segments 4, 5 and 6-will be made to travel on the shafts 16 and417 along the axis of the andiin such manner as to position theguiding'bellp 'and the groove pulley 40 in Aworking relationship withrespect to the activef groove ofthe drum, or that which is either payingoi" or "receiving" the cable',. and 'thus obviate all' of thedifficulties previously referred td@ ,1 While I have shown' anddescribed one specic embodiment of my invention, it will be underlaxissubstantially parallel to the axis' of said with said cable.

'ing the cable into the active groove in said drum.

substantially parallel to the axis ofsaid drum, a

in said groove as it is-being fed or said 'guiding thereto, sincevarious modications may. be'made without departing from the .scope of myinvention, as defined in the following claims.

l. A cable guiding device for hoisting drums' comprising a slidableframe adapted to encircle at least a substantial portion of thecircumference of said drum, vatleast one shoe connected to said frameand adapted to seat in at least' one of the grooves in'said drum, meansfor guiding the cable into the 'active groove in said drum, a shaftpivoted to, said' frame with its'.

drum; a pulley on'said shaft, and resilient means for influencing saidshaft in such manner asto cause said pulley to be positioned closelyadjacent said active groove and to make contact 2. A cable device forhoisting drums comprising aslidable frame adapted to encircle atleast asubstantial portion of the circumferf ence o f said drum, at least oneshoe connected to said frame and adapted to vseat in at least one of thegrooves in said drum, meansfor guida shaft pivoted to said frame withits axis substantially parallel tothe axis oit said drinn, a

pulley on saidshaft, resilient means for influencing said shaft in suchmanner as to cause said pulley to be positioned closely adjacent said.active groove and to make contact' with said at least a substantialportion of the circumference of said drum, at least one shoe connected:to said frame and adapted to seat in at least one of the grooves insaid drum,4 means for guiding the cable into the activel groove in saiddrum,` a shaftpivoted to said frame with its axis pulley on said shaft.and resilient means for in fiuencing said shaft: in such manner as tocause said pulley to be positioned closely adjacent saidl active grooveand to make contact with said cable, said guiding-means including a bellhaving an aperture alined with a tangent of; said drum. i

4.. A cable` guiding device for hoisting drums comprising a slidableframe adapted for movement along the axis of said drum, at least one 1 3shoe connected 'to said frame and adapted vto seat in at least one ofthe grooves in said drum,

.an extension on' said frame, a clamp forsaid 'extension, a guiding belldisposed-between said extension and said clamp and having an aperture,alined with a tangent ofthe active groove of said hoisting drum, incombination with a shaft pivoted to said frame with its axissubstantially`-A parallel to the axis ofsaid drum, apulley on saidshaft, a bolt :extending through said frame and said shaft, a spring onsaid bolt, and an adjusting nut. for resiliently .influencing #saidpulley against the active groove of said hoisting drum in such manner asto maintain the cable into and out 4 Baca A. E. aosnNQUrsr.

